TOP REASONS NOISE NEGATIVELY AFFECTS YOUR WORKERS
The Growing Problem of Unwanted Noise in the Workplace
Remember when tech giants like Google and Facebook began setting up open working environments in the early 2000s?
They sought to remove boundaries between departments, increase collaboration, and foster creativity—and by 2014, 70% of offices and shared workspaces had open floor layouts in an effort to achieve similar results. Unfortunately, an unexpected side effect of the open floor plan has been unwanted noise—the number one distraction in the workplace.
However, it's not just chatty coworkers that are at fault for killing employee productivity. It's the human mind itself. According to researchers, our brain is continually stopping tasks and scanning its environment to determine if there’s something more interesting to focus on. In addition, when unwelcome noise, such as a ringing phone, hits our auditory nerves, our brain releases excess cortisol, the “flight or fight” hormone, to the pre-frontal cortex. We’re no longer able to concentrate on a task or retain information while our brain figures out how to handle this unwanted invader.
So how do we combat these issues? In this guidebook, we'll dive deeper into the cognitive impacts that workplace noise has on us and the top, neuroscience- based solution today.
The Cognitive Impact of Noise on Workers
1. Noise reduces workers' cognitive performance.
Productivity loss doubles in open plan spaces as unwanted sounds impact workers’ ability to complete tasks on time and to their full ability.
When a worker is interrupted by noise pollution, it can take up to 23 minutes for their mind to get back on track, causing them to lose on average 86 minutes of their workday. Repeated interruptions and the constant dread of falling behind eventually bubble over, manifesting in lower morale, a decreased motivation to work, and increased aggression with officemates.
2. Noise increases stress due to a lack of privacy.
No one wants people around them listening in on their conversations, whether they’re meeting with a customer or taking a personal call. A lack of privacy can be especially stressful when conversations are of a confidential nature, such as a client’s financial matters. In one study of communal workspaces, 34 percent of workers say they have overheard personal conversations, and 23 percent were stressed that sensitive information could spill out in the open space.
IQ Acoustics' Neuroscience-based Solution
Many companies have sacrificed comfort in the hopes of greater collaboration, only to find that excess noise and a lack of privacy have caused workers to close themselves off from others. But there is a way to electronically erase the distractions that cause auditory overload with a simple retrofit of your current facility.
Backed by neuroscience-based research, The Orange Wave from IQ Acoustics is a proven electronic sound masking solution that trains the brain to ignore noises that fall in certain frequencies and stay focused on the task at hand. Fine-tuned sonic countermeasures and scientifically-plotted dispersion apply sound conditioning to where it’s most needed, diffusing annoying background sounds and conversations. As a result, the mind finds nothing distracting to latch on to— even in high-activity areas.
Best of all, our Sound Masking solutions are not only surprisingly affordable to install but starts boosting your bottom line the moment it’s switched on by increasing productivity, heightening worker happiness, and improving employee or team member retainment.